HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ERB PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING ZESCO’S EMERGENCY TARIFF APPLICATION

ERB HOLDS HEARING FOR ZESCO E.ERGENCY TARIFF APPLICATION

ZESCO Limited says the emergency tariff adjustment proposals to the Energy Regulation Board -ERB- once approved will only be applicable to residential customers that consume above 200 units of power.

ZESCO Head of Business Development PATRICK KAPEPE says customers that consume above 500 units of power account for five to seven percent of the Company’s customer base and that these consume about 24 percent of power.

Mr. KAPEPE says those who consume less than 200 units of power comprise 56 percent of the residential consumer base out of 1.3 million customers and that these will NOT be affected by the adjustment.

He says the proposed emergency tariffs will be reviewed every three months and that the adjustment is anticipated to impact appropriately 44 percent of the customers.

This was during the ERB public hearing for ZESCO Emergency Tariff Application held in Lusaka today.

Mr. KAPEPE said that the proposed adjustment for commercial tariffs is a 38 percent increase for consumption exceeding 500 units.

He said that ZESCO has proposed to maintain the tariffs for entities that offer social services such as hospitals, security wings and pumping stations for water utility companies, among others.

And ZESCO Managing Director VICTOR MAPANI said the proposed emergency tariffs are meant to mitigate the escalating effects of the drought and to seek solutions to lessen the challenges.

Meanwhile, ERB Board Chairperson JAMES BANDA said the Board saw it prudent to have a public hearing even if the law allows ERB to proceed without a public hearing in the case of an emergency application.

Among those that made submissions include United for Better Zambia President HECTOR SOONDO who requested ERB not to approve the proposed increase of ZESCO tariffs as the cost of doing business in the country is high.

And Citizens First Deputy Secretary General CEPHAS MUKUKA called on Government to bail out Zesco.

Dr. MUKUKA said tariffs should NOT be increased as this may in turn affect the prices of commodities.

ZNBC